Use Your Inside Voice by SellingPower.com

Voice control – great presenters use it to make sure their messages are heard loud and clear. Expert communications consultant, founder and president of Power Presentations, Inc., Sheri Jeavons offers these tips to use your voice more effectively:

Speak up. Pick a spot or a person in the back of the room to begin your communication. Make sure you speak loud enough for that person to hear you. However, warns Jeavons, if using a microphone, don't yell; instead, adjust the amplification so that you can be heard clearly while using your normal voice.

Tell stories. Some ways to make sure you have voice modulation and enthusiasm in your voice is to tell stories, and use analogies, metaphors, and alliteration. For example, using alliteration such as, "simple, selective service" can make a point memorable. You can also repeat a phrase so that it will be etched in your audience's mind. "You'll see a 30 percent cost savings. That's a 30 percent cost savings."

Use pauses. "If you feel that you speak particularly fast, stop and pause at the end of a key point and/or when you are changing a slide," says Jeavons. "This will stop the energy. Incorporating more pauses will help slow you down because it's a discipline."

Be natural. When you are presenting, use your everyday talking voice, says Jeavons. "People sometimes get into a presenter voice and it's a little too phony," she says. "Instead use your natural speech patterns because they have variations in pitch. For example, if you feel yourself droning on and notice that your audience is losing interest, the best thing you can do is stop talking and ask a question to change your tone of voice. This will engage you in a conversation and conversation is more natural because it adds modulation to your voice."

Seek variety. Tell a story so you can slow down or pick up your speech pace to make a point stand out. "Variety keeps it interesting," says Jeavons. "Think about where you want to speed things up or slow things down, and then slow down where you really want them to get it. Make it obvious." If your voice is really strong and quick normally, soften it, and slow it down. Conversely, if you tend to be laid back when speaking, get a little louder and intense on a part that's really meaningful to the client. Another way to add variety is to adopt a more staccato pace at certain points of your presentation – short, quick phrases can draw immediate attention to what you are saying. "That stop, start, stop, start will grab people's attention," says Jeavons.

Be enthusiastic. "Take it up a notch or two," advises Jeavons. "The way to do that is to tell the customer about the value they are going to receive from your product or service. When you are talking about something they want or need, you will see them smile or shake their head and that will create more enthusiasm for you, too."

Take care. Drink room temperature water before, during, and after you speak to prevent potential voice problems during your presentation. Jeavons says that coffee, tea, or sodas have acidic properties in them that can dry out your throat. She also warns against drinking cold drinks because they can constrict your throat.

Always practice. Jeavons suggests to audio record yourself and then listen to the way you present. Is there enthusiasm? No? Then tell more stories, ask more questions, or use people's names to create more energy. Does your tone vary? Does your pace vary? Do you need to pause more often? If so, where? Once you know where you need to improve, it can be easy to incorporate changes.